Search

I know I’m not the only one who feels this way, like the global fashion calendar is an ever spinning roller coaster ride. You never quite get off to catch your breath. Before the spring collections hit the stores, the pre-fall collections are out. Just two weeks ago, it was Spring 2012 haute couture week, before we get a chance to stare at and appreciate the craftsmanship of the stunning collections, we are being ushered hurriedly into Fall 2012 fashion week, kicking off in New York today.

New York Fashion week schedule

In spite of this apparent madness – and I don’t want to imagine what the designers and their team of stylists, makeup artistes, art directors, publicists etc must feel – it still is a great rush when another fashion week is coming up. You can’t help but be curious about what the trends for the next season will be, where the designers will be drawing inspiration from, what to expect from your favourite designers and if some trends you love will be making a comeback. As a diehard fifties aficionado, I’m always on the lookout for a fifities comeback, that means I get to find those nipped in the waist, full skirted dresses in the shops.

So, I’m waiting with eager anticipation for the shows to start. In the meantime, I get to keep looking at and talking about some of my favourite trends from the season we’re in now.

Spring is the most relevant season for us in these parts because we can identify with the clothes and can wear them, unlike Fall where most of the clothes are made in fabrics and come in styles we can’t wear in the tropics. Some stunning trends came out of Spring 2012 and make for great fashion. Over the next couple of posts, I will do a spotlight on some of these trends, starting right now with The Peplum.

I fell in love with the Peplum since my childhood days in the 80s, it was just so girly and I liked it. I never really did get a Peplum dress but how I longed for one. This right here is my chance to fulfil my childhood fantasies.

Now, you’ve never seen the peplum get as edgy, psychedelic and avant garde as it got in the Spring collections, and it showed up everywhere, from Celine to Jason Wu to Marchesa, all the way to Vera Wang. Some designers based their collection on this trend – Vera Wang and Givenchy had Peplums on at least half the clothes they showed – it was stunning what Givenchy did with the style.

This trend is bang on for girls who want to emphasize the waist, give a chic twist to work wear or play up their feminine side with a girly, frothy peplum in lace or tulle.

However you like it, get inspired by a plethora of peplums in every conceivable style.

The first Victoria Beckham bag collection was moderate and just enough to complement the clothes. Enter Spring 2012 and it’s obvious she has plans to build a bag empire.

The Spring 2012 collection features such a wide variety of bags, ranging from ipad and blackberry cases to clutch bags, shoulder bags, convertible bags and travel cases. There were chain strap bags, duffel bags, totes and a departure from the regular structured bags to slouchy bags. They came in a variety of colours – lemon, turquoise, peach and the signature “Victoria” bag was made in python and alligator textures.

I mean, this lady could give LV a run for their money, how do we know she’s not dropping a travel luggage range in the mix next season. Either way she goes, Viva Victoria Beckham!

And by the way, if you’re drooling, start saving, prices range from £900 for the shoulder bags up to £8,000+ for the ‘Victoria’ crocodile bag. They sell out fast too, so save up fast ;)

I have to say i’m pleasantly stunned and so inspired by what Burberry put on display in London. A fresh, eclectic departure from the norm. If you were expecting to see trench coats and the signature checks, plaids and neutral hues, well think again.

This collection was packed full of bold tribal print, crochet designs, wood and bead detailing, the accessories – bags, shoes, hats – were intricately designed and so so bright and beautiful.

I’ve put together a collage of my best picks from the beautiful collection. This is arguably my best of the Spring 2012 collections, it’s a call to break out and do something different. Christopher Bailey described the collection as ‘Joyous, upbeat, nostalgic.’ With this collection, he wanted to celebrate things that take time to do instead of delivering the status quo. Great results coming out of that thinking, it’s spectacular and beautiful.

And of course, the outer wear wasn’t completely excluded, that’s the Burberry classic, the style, cut and design was just updated. In an eclectic way.

When a fashion connoisseur cum fashionatic cum stylist to hollywood chics launches a line, it’s for sure something to look out for. Asides from her credentials, Rachel Zoe is to be loved because she is one person who is passionate about what she does, she makes it look like the great fun that I’m sure it is. Her reality series ‘The Rachel Zoe project’ was my fashion fix for a good part of last year. I’ll be watching the new season 4 as well, starting the back episodes this week.

Anyways, on to my Spring 2012 retrospective….

After being a stylist for a long while, Rachel Zoe decided to launch her very own fashion label. The first collection was for fall 2011 and she made a brilliant showing.

What I love about this Spring collection, which she showed during NYFW, is how versatile, graceful and pretty the pieces are. RZ is a seventies inspired girl, her style is very distinct and its reflected in the collection. I kinda like it when a designer’s collection reflects their style a la Victoria Beckham in the earlier days. What better way to endorse the brand?

The maxi dresses and tailored pieces have to be my favourites, the inclusion of ruffles here and there add the right dose of girliness without being too sweet. That cobalt blue jumpsuit? Is so badly wanted!

What a day it has been! It wasn’t going to end without me adding one to my Spring 2012 runway retrospective. And there is plenty more to come. Watch out for the luxe and delectable Elie Saab!

These here are my picks from the Christian Dior collection. Post the much talked about departure of creative director John Galliano (after his anti-semitic comments fiasco), I knew it would literally be impossible for whoever took his place to follow directly in his footsteps. I mean, how do you copy a theatrical artist? John Galliano had taken wacky to a whole ‘nother level and the Dior collections were much more theatrical fanfare than fashion show. Even though there was the argument that if you took out the props and pulled the pieces apart, there was something there. Oh well, I liked the collections for pure artistic value, John Galliano made a good show.

So it goes without saying that I was curious to see what his back fill would do. And if you ask me, he did well. Bill Gaytten played it safe I must admit but it was refreshingly and wearably safe. They are all pieces I would love to own, in beautiful soft patterns and fabrics, love the play on textures and smattering of colour. It was ladylike chic and very grown up.

Miuccia Prada’s design aesthetic is lost on me sometimes. I think she’s just done with real practical fashion and is bordering on art, very edgy art. Now I’m all for fashion as art but you really have to be uber edgy and give no thought to realistic or practical style to wear Miu Miu and Prada…it seems. Having said that, we see the street style pics, especially from fashion week and we see the 0.1% of humanity who dare wear monkey motif blouses.

The reason for my perplexity is the first set of pictures you see down here. Like, what’s with the criss cross, strait jacketish do??? Yeah, I don’t get it too but I’m sure the fashion editors and stylists will find some great editorial use for it. And of course, not forgetting the 0.1% who will wear it, lol. We look forward to the street style shots.

There’s real reason to smile though, just scroll down a bit further.

I LOVE lace! My favourite fabrics in the world are lace, silk and chiffon/tulle/the sheers in general. So, she does some interesting stuff with lace. Discount some of the funky layering and you’d find some stunning dresses, skirts and coat even.

Now, those are right up my alley!

To digress from this collection, Spring 2012 fashion month is over and there were so many stunning collections. I’ll be rolling out the ones that made the most impression on me over the next few days or even weeks??? Totally love Spring collections. Dior is up next.